Cocoa cooling apparatus



June 17, 1930. w. WAIN cocoA cooLING APPARATUS Filed Ma'rch 29, 1927 2Shets-Sheet l June `17, 1930. W WNN lfffsss? COCOA COOLING APPARATUS-Filed March 29, 1927 ZSheets-Sheet 2 A I mi? W s Patented June 17, 1930r'Waxxriaxa WAIN, or FULTON, :NEW You.

C'COA COOLING APPARATUS applicati@ med Maren 29, 1927. serial No.179,384.

This invention relates to a metho'd of and apparatus for cooling cocoapowder and analagous materialsv preparatory to the use of such powder inthe manufacture of Syrups in a more or less plastic state' such aschocolate coatiiigs and chocolatefillings for confections and pastry andthe like.

' The main object is to effect a more thorough and expeditious. coolingof the powder than has heretofore been practised b causing the same topass continuously through tortuous paths in a suitable 'cooling chamberwhereby thev temperature is materially reduced in transit from the inletto the outlet of the apparatus so as to greatly reduce its affinity formoisture, all of which contributes to the production of a better qualityI of the commercialproduct in' which the powder is used and greatlyfacilitates the manuvfacture of such powder into the commercial product.

Other objects and uses relating to specific parts of the inventionwill'be brought out in the following description.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of an apparatusembodying various features of the invention in which portions of theconducting tubes for the powdered material are shown in section.

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken in the plane ofline 2-2, Figure 1.

As illustrated, this apparatus comprises a substantially air-tightrectangular box or housing -l--having a bottom portion, upright sideandl end portions and a top portion, all bolted or otherwise securedtogether at their junctions ne with the other to form a rigid structurewhich is reinforced by corner posts -2, intermediate posts -3- and uppercross bars -'4.-, the lower ends of the posts -2- and -3- being securedto the bottom of the case by angle irons -5-.

The bottom portion of the case or housing is preferably made of similarlaminated sections -6- arranged end to end in the same horizontal planeand preferably extending from side to side of the case with theirmeeting ends directly 'under the intermediate posts sections extendedbeyond the adjacent crossl bars `-4- a-suiiicient distance to overlapupon the upper edges of the upright side and end portions.

The upright sides of the case may also be made of laminated sections -8arranged edge to edge with their meeting edges overlapping upon theintermediate posts 3 and end osts 2- and secured thereto by any suita lefastenin means so as to extend from top to bottom o the case an-'d fromend to end thereof.

The upright-ends of the case are also composed of laminated sections -9-arranged edge to edge one upon the other vertically and havin j theirmeeting edges beveled or loverlappe one upon the other to formsubstantially air-tight joints anfd also to facilitate the securement ofthe sections-S)- to each other. y

As illustrated, all of these laminated sections -for the bottom, top,sides and ends are made up of inner and outerlayers -10- ofi wood and anintermediate layer -11- of cork or equivalent heat-insulating materialto reduce the transmission of heat from the exterior to the interior ofthe case and thereby to facilitate the maintenance of a relatively lowertemperature within the case.

Each laminated section is also provided4 with a marginal edge l2- ofwood or equivalent material surrounding the marginal edges of theadjacent cork filler -11- to firmly retain. the latter inplace and alsoto provide means wherelgl the sections of the bottom, top, sides anlends may be more rmly secured to each other by lnails, .screws or otherfastening devices.

A pair lof cross bars -13-. are mounted vupon and secured to theupperface of Ithe bottom of the case orhousing -lto extend transverselythereof in parallel spaced relation to eachother and to the ends of thecase2 but preferably nearer the ends for receivm and supporting separatepairs of upright ars 14-, those of each pair being arran eddirectly overits corresponding cross iai* -13- but in transversely spaced relationlto each other'and to the side walls of the case as shown more clearly inFigi are disposed in the vertical planes of their respective pairs ofupright bars 14.- as shown more clearly in Figure 1, it being understoodthatl the lower end of the upright bars -14-A are also firmly secured'tothe lower cross bars -18-. l

The upper cross bars -18- are therefore supported by their respectiveupright bars 14e- Aand extend laterally some distance beyond saiduprightbars for receiving and supporting separate 1 sets 0f straps 19-carrying the refrigerator'coils -l6', said straps having their upperends rigidly secured to the underside of the upper` cross bars 1S-Additional cross bars -20- are mounted upon the upper edges of the crossbars 18- for receiving and supporting a horizontal plate or shelf -21-which extends lengthwise of and withinthe case -1- across the .ing equalspaces between the ends of the.

intervening space between the cross bars,

-18- and -20- and also from side to side between the intermediate posts-3-, leavplate and upright ends of the case and also open spacesbetweenopposite edges of the plate and inner. faces of the side walls ofthe case between the posts, said plate being also located some distancebelow the top wall of the case and in a plane above the uppermostconduit l5- and uppermost pipes of the refrigerator coils 16.y

The interior ofthe case forms an air chamber 22- inwhich the conduits-15- and refrigerating pipes -16- are located so as to allow freecirculation of air around the refrigerator coils and also around theconduits --15-. v

The means for circulating the air comprises,in this instance, a fan orblower -23- directly connected to the armature shaft of an electricmotor Q4- which, together with memos? y the fan or blower 23- is mounteduponthe shelf or plate -21- within the air space between said shelf andtop of the case as shown' more clearly in Figure 1. c y

This :fan or blower 23- is arranged to take air fromy the interior caseat one side and to deliver it to the interior case from the oppositeside.thereby establishing a circulation of the air within the case fromthe fan around one end of the plate --21 downwardly around the conduits-15- and refrigerator pipes -16- and return around the other end of theplate to the other end of .the blower. l The tubular conduits --15-- arearranged in a vertical plane one ov'ertbe other -lengthwise of andmidway between the opposite upright sides of the case and aresuccessively inclined in reverse directions from top to bottomlengthwise of the case to assist in feeding the material therethrough byg'ravity.

a vertical inlet pipe Q5- through which the cocoa powder is fed by anysuitable means so as to enter the higher end of lthe uppermost conduit.

The lower side of the lower end of the'uppermost conduit is connected bya nipple -26- to the upper side of the higher end of the next lowerconduit which, in turn, has

The uppermost conduit 15 is provided in its upper side near its highestend with the lower side of its other end connected by 'a similar nipple-26- to the upper side of the higher end of the next adjacent conduitand soI on through the successive conduits having the lowerside of theirlower ends connected to the upper side of the lhigher ends of the nextadjacent conduit by similar nipples -26- as shown more clearly in Figure1.

The lower side of the lower end of the lowest conduit is provided withan outlet pipe 27 which may be connected to any repository for lthedried and cooler material as it emerges from the cooling apparatus.

The upper conduit is provided with an ing from the top thereof near itslower end to the atmosphere through suitable openings in the plate -21-and top of the case and 'serving to permit the escape of air from theinteriors of allA of the conduits While thepowdered material is beingfed therethrough.

These several conduits -15- are closed at both `ends -by end heads-29--, each of which is provided with diametrically opposite lugs -30-bolted or otherwise secured to the adjacent portions of the'upright bars14 for holding the conduits in fixed relation at the desired angle ofinclination.

Each conduit l5- contains a rotary agitator 3l extending lengthwiselthereof from end to end co-axial therewith and therefore at the sameangle of inclination thereof.

Each agitator comprises a central lengthwise shaft 33 carrying aplurality of axially spaced spiders B4- to which are secureddiametrically opposite lengthwiseblades -35- extending from end to endof ure 1, said shafts ha'ving their opposite ends journaled in suitablebearings in the vend heads of their respective conduits 15.

A main driving shaft -36- is journaled in suitable bearings in one endof the case 'y other end of the upper shaft -33 to the corresponding endof the next adjacent lower shaft by means of gears 4D- similar gears4land -42- being provided fortransmitting rotary motion in sequence fromthe secondnamed shafts to the remaining shafts -33- as shown moreclearly in Figure l.

The blades -35- of each agitator are arranged somewhat spirally withreference to the axes of their corresponding shafts so that the end ofeach blade adjacent the higher end of the corresponding conduit moves lslightly in advance of the remaining portions of the blades to assist infeeding the powdered ma'terial from the higher to the lower endsof theconduits but at a relatively low rate of speed to permit the rotation ofthe agitators to effect a thorough agitation of the powder in transitthrougl" the tubes.

It is now evident that as the material is introduced into the inletconduit M25- it will be successively conveyed through the severalconduits 15- in zigzag tortuous paths and will finally emerge throughthe outlet conduit -27-- The refrigerator coils -16- are'arranged invertical rows of, in this instance three, in each row, at opposite sidesof the conveyor vtubes 1.5-, the lowermost pipe of each coil beingprovided with an inlet -43- which may be connected to any availablesource of supply for a refrigerant liquid such as ammonia, the upperpipe of each coil being provided with an outlet -44-.

Any suitable means may be employed for maintaining a circulation of therefrigerant liquid through the coils for the purpose of cooling saidcoils and the air which surrounds them and for transmitting the loweredtemperatures to the conduits .15- and powdered material passingtherethrough.

Suitable drip pans -45- are supported upon the cross bars 1S- within thevat' directly below the opposite sets of refrigerating coils -16- forreceiving any moisture which may accumulate upon the coils and areprovided with drainage outlet plpe 4G- leading to any suitable soil orWaste pipe, not shown.

Operation Thecocoa powder or other material to be cooled is fed into theinlet pipe -25- at a temperature of, say 115 degrees F., and thencepasses through the successive conduits -15- in which the material isthoroughly agitated and its temperature greatly reduced by therefrigerating coils -16- until it is finally discharged from thelowermost tube into a sifter o r other receptacle at a temperature of,say 50 degrees F.

The thorough agitation of the powdered cocoa and gradual lowering of thetemperature thereof in transit through the successive tubesgreatlyaccelerates the cooling of the powder to a uniformftemperature anddryness required for its manufacture into cholocate and analagousproducts.

It will be evident, however, that the number of conveyer tubes andagitators and also the number of refrigerating coils may be varied atwill according to the production required and that the means forcirculating the air around the tubes and refrigerating coils may also bemodified without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What I claim is 1. In a device of the class described, a housing havingtherein a pair of chambers arranged oneA above the other, said chambersbeing in communication with each other at their outer edges, a pluralityof tubular conduits connected in series and disposed in sequence in thelower chamber, rotary agitators disposed in the conduits, a plurality ofcooling coils for the reception of a refrigerant disposed in the lowerchamber in spaced relation to said conduits and means comprising a fanpositioned in the upper chamber for circulating the air within thehousing around the conduits and refrigerating coils.

2. In a device of the class described, a housing having therein a pairof chambers arranged one above the other, said chambers being incommunication with each other at their outer edges, a plurality oftubular conduits connected in, series and disposed in sequence in thelower chamber, the disconnected ends of the uppermost and lowermostconduits being provided respectively with an inlet and an outletconduit, rotary agitators disposed in the conduits, a plurality ofcooling coils for the reception of a refrigerant disposed in the lowerchamber in spaced relation to said conduits, means comprising a fanpositioned inthe upper chamber for oirculating the air within thehousing around the conduits and refrigerating coils and means forrotating said agitators.

yso

3. In a device of the class described a housing having therein a pair ofcham ers arranged one abovethe other, said chambers being incommunication with each other at their outer edges, the upper chamberbeingv provided with a partition extending transversely of the "housing,substantially midway between the ends thereof, a plurality of tubularconduits connected in series and disposed in sequence in the lowerchamber one above the other, rotary agitators disposed in the conduits,a plurality of cooling coils for the reception of a refrigerant disposedin the lower chamber in spaced relation to said conduits and meanscomprising a fan positioned in the partition intermediate 'the endsthereof for circulating the air within' the housing around the conduitsand refrigerating coils.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 16th day of March1927.

WALTER WAIN.

